Poop board convert *warning-graphic/gross poop pictures*

[Thespoiledchicken]

Ok, so my first coop was done without poop boards-I simply loaded up the floor with sand figuring that would be easy enough to sift the poop out of. Well, the plan sounded good in theory but I found it didn't work so good in reality. Don't get me wrong, the poop scoops out of the sand BUT- the sand SMELLS even after the poop is gone. Also, it is a dusty mess while scooping and I need to take frequent breaks just to breath fresh air. Still better though than changing out shavings weekly (I don't like DLM).

So when we built our 2nd coop we decided to try poop boards

WOW, what a difference. We built a waist high shelf and then added a lip all around and filled it with Sweet PDZ, LOVE IT!!!! I simply sift the poop up every day or two but you certainly can leave it longer if you had to. The Sweet PDZ keeps it from smelling at all. And the best part- NO DUST when scooping. It's almost like sifting flour. It is very zen like to clean and I tend to get carried away and make designs for my girls ( I know, I have issues

)

Anyway, thought I would share my experience and of course some pics

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

I got to know where you got that shed kit from. I am in love! They are so quaint and cute!

Thanks I love it too

It is made by The Little Cottage Company in Ohio (Amish made). Go to cottagekits.com and look for the round roof chicken coop kit.

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

Thanks guys

Sweet PDZ is a horse stall refresher- it absorbs moisture and smell. I forget exactly what it is made of but it is completely safe for chickens- I think it is made from a mineral maybe? Works GREAT for chicken poop. When my girls are getting on the perches at night they kick a little on to the floor and freshen up the shavings too.

Here is the outside of the coop (can't take credit for the design, it is a Amish kit we brought)

 

[aart]

I put poop boards in when I built my coop last summer for 10 Large fowl chooks and I love them. I use shavings on floor and straw in nests.
2 feet wide luan (cheap 1/4 thk underflooring) with 2x2 around the edges lined with foam backed vinyl sheet flooring.
Roosts are 2x4 wide side up, 8" above board and removable, but I find I don't need to remove them and they rarely get pooped on.
My coop is only 6' wide so built ramps as they can't fly down easily without crashing into the wall.
Boards are waist high for my ease, feeder hangs underneath the board.

Boards have washed, dried sand and granular PDZ mixed at about a 4:1 ratio about 1 inch deep. I use this mix in my brooder too, at about 1/2" deep, as well.

I use a mesh office organizer basket as a sifter, a short handled hoe to carefully scrape vinyl and push into basket. I use a reptile poop scoop in the brooder as it stirs up less dust than the mesh basket. I dump the poops into a lidded bucket to go to compost. I made a 'leveler' to smooth the sand/PDZ back out to an even depth, screws in the edge of a 1x3x21 can be tilted to adjust depth.
Even in frigid winter, frozen watery poops scraped off the vinyl pretty easily.

I think the key minimizing dust is to use clean sand, but everything chicken will get dusty (really, really dusty) sooner or later.
The zeolite definitely helps with ammonia odor, but nothing quickly quenches the stench of a fresh cecal poop.
Oh, and, pullet poops are cute and nothing compared to adult chicken poops.

Pics for clarity and inspiration....more details on My Coop page.
Birds do hang out on boards during the day and some roost on the board itself or the edge...not really a problem.

Pullets 'hiding' from big birds.

Ramp....added another up to nest bar too.

Mesh basket, 12" handled hoe and bucket.

Leveler



Size of sand for reference

Thought I'd update this post(click the quote for old but still relevant pics) since some things have changed in 3 years.
-Have added another roost/board, pic below,
and had to add a piece of vinyl on wall to keep sand mix out of pop door tracks.
-Added corner moldings over edges of vinyl as they were creeping up,
breaking/cracking creating a foot injury risk,
and stuff was getting behind and under vinyl.
-Still using same type of sifter, but replaced with new one.
-Still using that hoe.
-Still using same 4 buckets to haul to buddies compost.
-Leveler screws are only 1/2" long now,
keeping sand/PDZ mix 1/4-1/2" deep to
deter dust bathing on the poop boards.
-That type of sand is no longer available,
so am using a play sand which is much finer and dustier
and more prone to 'muddying' with wetter poops.
One board is now pure PDZ,
jury's still out on which is more economical and functional.

 

[Chad Brantly]

You can add me to the list of “Poop Board Converts”! I just moved my girls to their new coop on Thursday, and after 3 nights I can tell you that I love the idea I stole from this thread. Takes about 5 minutes a day to clean the poop off the tray with a litter scoop and it is gone from my coop forever. Also I will say that moving from my old coop where the roosts were not reachable to my new walk-in coop makes a world of difference in being able to care for my flock. It is so much easier to go in and check out each bird once they have settled in for the night. I know this will help in the future identifying which one has diarrhea or checking them over for injuries, pests, etc. Thanks to everyone here for the great suggestions I used in designing and building my new coop. Now to just convince them to start using the new rollout nesting boxes!!

 

[henless]

I finally got both of my roosts up. I'm trying to decide if I want to leave the board empty and just scrap off the poo, put up shavings or do the pdz. If I do the pdz, then I'll have to put up a "retainer" board to keep it from being knocked off into my deep litter. If I go with or without shavings, I can just rake it off onto the floor.


Close up of my roosts. I have two 2x4's 10 ft long. I have them 12 inches apart and 12 inches from the wall. I hope that is enough since I only had 3 feet to work with? They are 8 inches above the poop board, which is the top of my brooder. There is about 4 inches to the edge of the poop board.




Here's the whole set up. I had just finished putting up the 2nd roost here. My chicks were very impatient and wanting to get out of the brooder to play.

 

[KeepsPeeps]

Is what you do to clean up the area similar to sifting cat poop out of a litter box? Just scoop, shake, toss? Seems so low maintenance and lovely!

 

[Bigfamily4me]

I have been waiting and waiting until I could post pictures of my poops boards. I used Trisha"s idea under one to place food and water. Then I came up with my own idea for under the other... a brooder/seperation pen!

Here they are...


Sorry the pictures is crooked.


And the second one...



The PDZ granulated is now on them and the chickens are moved in. Thanks so much again for posting this thread!

 

[aart]

I put poop boards in when I built my coop last summer for 10 Large fowl chooks and I love them. I use shavings on floor and straw in nests.
2 feet wide luan (cheap 1/4 thk underflooring) with 2x2 around the edges lined with foam backed vinyl sheet flooring.
Roosts are 2x4 wide side up, 8" above board and removable, but I find I don't need to remove them and they rarely get pooped on.
My coop is only 6' wide so built ramps as they can't fly down easily without crashing into the wall.
Boards are waist high for my ease, feeder hangs underneath the board.

Boards have washed, dried sand and granular PDZ mixed at about a 4:1 ratio about 1 inch deep. I use this mix in my brooder too, at about 1/2" deep, as well.

I use a mesh office organizer basket as a sifter, a short handled hoe to carefully scrape vinyl and push into basket. I use a reptile poop scoop in the brooder as it stirs up less dust than the mesh basket. I dump the poops into a lidded bucket to go to compost. I made a 'leveler' to smooth the sand/PDZ back out to an even depth, screws in the edge of a 1x3x21 can be tilted to adjust depth.
Even in frigid winter, frozen watery poops scraped off the vinyl pretty easily.

I think the key minimizing dust is to use clean sand, but everything chicken will get dusty (really, really dusty) sooner or later.
The zeolite definitely helps with ammonia odor, but nothing quickly quenches the stench of a fresh cecal poop.
Oh, and, pullet poops are cute and nothing compared to adult chicken poops.

Pics for clarity and inspiration....more details on My Coop page.
Birds do hang out on boards during the day and some roost on the board itself or the edge...not really a problem.

Pullets 'hiding' from big birds.

Ramp....added another up to nest bar too.

Mesh basket, 12" handled hoe and bucket.

Leveler



Size of sand for reference

 

[champer]

Love the barrel roof! What is Sweet PDZ?